Review of Sideways (2004) by Mikelle E — 02 Aug 2012

Slightly bittersweet little gem of a movie about two friends who embark on a trip to California's vineyards in the lead up to an impending wedding. The four leads each put in terrific performances and the script is wonderfully wry and naturalistic.

There are some hilariously funny moments and brilliantly observed touches. Virginia Madsen's speech about why her character got so into wine actually moved me to tears while a scene in which Paul Giamatti tries to recover his friend's hastily abandoned wallet is an unexpected comedic treat.

The plot delivers a nice twist on the bromance/buddy/romance/mid-life crises movie with the central male characters of Miles and Jack swapping vulnerabilities and strengths as the story progresses. Full marks to the production team for pulling off a delicate poke at a whole host of male insecurities and hang-ups and giving us characters that we really care about, despite their flawed nature.